PETWORKS launches campaign to raise money for new shelter, dog park in Kingsport

KINGSPORT, TN (WJHL) – – PETWORKS leaders announced the launch of a capital campaign Thursday to raise more than a million dollars for a new animal shelter and dog park in Kingsport.

Dozens of supports showed up to City Hall Thursday afternoon in Kingsport to show their support.

For PETWORKS President Tom Parham, it’s a project seven years in the making.

He said the goal of the new facility is to combat several challenges such as overcrowding.

"The facility we have now and the care we have now is not very humane," Parham said.

Parham said the entire project will cost $3.5 million, but PETWORKS has already raised $2 million for the facility, which will be called PETWORKS, The Good Steward Adoption Center.

Kingsport Animal Shelter Director Donna Davidson has worked at the shelter for 16 years.

She said the facility is 30 years old and this shelter will be a new beginning for the staff.

"We so desperately need this shelter in so many ways: capacity, disease control, all of that combined is so important and those are things that we don’t have that we will have in the new shelter," Davidson said.

The new facility will be located on East Stone Drive in Kingsport.

Construction for the new facility is expected to start later this year, with an opening date in 2020.